The Best New Cruise Ships of 2011

We try out eight hot new ships from your favorite cruise lines. Here's what we liked—and what we didn't

Massive, with Mass Appeal

Royal Caribbean: Allure of the Seas

Who's On Board: This bustling city on the sea carries up to 6,360 guests of almost every stripe. Families traveling with kids and grandparents make up about two-thirds of the ship; 18- to 35-year-olds in search of a party fill out the rest.

What Sets It Apart: Other than a butterfly flitting around the live foliage in the ship's Central Park, what most distinguishes this vessel from the others is its many grand gestures: the Rising Tide Bar that levitates three stories; the glass elevators serving the 17 decks; and more than 2,000 works of art in the public areas, including Jacob Hashimoto's Gateway to the Hidden Part of the Sky—2,100 silk-screened kites suspended by 146 steel rods.

The Look: All over the map. The ship is divided into neighborhoods, each of which plays its assigned role with precision. The Royal Promenade on Deck 5 is a sleek mall with theme restaurants, the first Starbucks at sea, and a Guess store filled with handbag-crazed cruisers. Studio B, on Deck 4, is the entertainment zone housing the comedy club, a nightclub, a jazz club, and an ice-skating rink. The Boardwalk glorifies the best of what Atlantic City and Coney Island once offered, complete with a hand-carved carousel.

Staterooms: Our Central Park Balcony on Deck 14 was spacious, with a big bed, a couch, and a desk with double iPod/iPhone charging docks. The closet space was ample, but the bathroom was tight—especially the shower, which could only be described as a tube. Otherwise, our main quibble was the toilet paper, which had the texture of sandpaper.

Best Hideouts: There's not a lot of hiding while outdoors on this behemoth, but the Park Café in Central Park is a good spot to open a book over coffee and a pastry. The adults-only Solarium is a pleasant place to dodge children and Shrek and his ilk. Before 9 p.m., you can have the Viking Crown Lounge—way up on deck 17—almost entirely to yourself. Take in the ocean expanses from plush chairs facing floor-to-ceiling windows.

Favorite Things: The tiered design of the main pool deck, which protects the pool from the wind and creates an amphitheater of (tanned) flesh. The sports deck with its full basketball court, mini golf, and surf machines. The entire Royal Promenade, powered by super-thin solar panels installed on top of the boat. Morning yoga with Captain Herman Zini on the ship's helipad.

Could've Done Without:Being asked to buy booze (multiple times) by unsupervised teens. Being charged 65 cents per minute and $35 per hour for super-slow Internet (though this was typical on most ships we evaluated).

The One Your Kids Will Remember

Disney,Dream

Who's On Board: 2,800 parents, 1,200 children, and a fair number of Disney cultists.

What Sets It Apart: Cutting-edge technology that stuns, including the world's first shipboard water coaster; "magic portholes" in the interior staterooms that yield a real-time ocean view—provided by video cams on deck—enhanced by animated characters that float past; and a restaurant with wall panels that transform into an undersea scene where the cast from Finding Nemo swim around you. For sheer spectacle, only on Disney ships will you find fireworks at sea and shows whose production values actually rival those on Broadway.

The Look: Classic grand ocean liner meets Disney special-effects studio. The chandeliered atrium lobby and Broadway-style theater have a Queen Mary–era majesty, except when being stampeded by tots clamoring for autographs from Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse. Other public spaces feature "enchanted art" containing animated characters who talk to you.

Best Hideouts:Outdoors: Deck 13 forward—a huge, silent, adults-only area with panoramic views off the bow—or the shady, deserted Promenade Deck. Indoors: The Rainforest section of the spa ($16 for a day pass), which has heated-tile daybeds, hot tubs in a glass-enclosed observatory, a papaya-scented hammam, and a eucalyptus- infused steam room.

Favorite Things: Never having to worry about your children disturbing other passengers, since every adult on board is in the same boat (so to speak). State-of-the-art—and free—child-care options, including giant high-tech kids' clubs and supervised programs that will take your children off your hands from 9 a.m. until 1 a.m. Activities to keep family members of all ages occupied, from nine holes of mini-golf to a cinema showing first-run Disney movies, some in 3-D. Other niceties rare for a megaship include rotation dining to ensure that you get to try each restaurant at least once, but with the same servers throughout your cruise, and no buffet lines.

Could've Done Without: The two-hour embarkation process. Being forced to dine at either 5:45 or 8:15 every night. The gratuity charge of $48 per day for a family of four. And the nighttime activities schedule—featuring events your kids will insist are unmissable—that shows a punishing disregard for bedtimes and is a recipe for sleep deprivation, arguments over bedtimes, and meltdowns.

A Modern Take on the Classic Cruise

Holland America,Nieuw Amsterdam

Who's On Board: Couples fiftyish and older, many repeat Holland America cruisers, and families with schoolkids.

What Sets It Apart: Book ahead and escape the crowds for an afternoon or the entire cruise in your own cabana. Close the tent flaps and snuggle in a double lounge chair or relax at a table and enjoy lunch ordered from a special menu (from $30 per day for two).

The Look: Boarding to the sounds of a classical string quartet, you're likely to nod approvingly rather than gasp in awe. It takes time to appreciate the $3 million art collection, much of it celebrating the New York–Holland connection and including pieces by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. The ship's centerpiece is an angular, translucent sculpture of the Manhattan skyline that hangs upside down in the three-story atrium.

Staterooms: Most are done in earth tones, but the effect is more dark than soothing. (Who decided the sofas should be mud brown?) All but inside cabins have a (short) tub and shower combination, with the shampoo in dispensers. Consider splurging on a cabin with a balcony; upgrade to a superior one, with punches of red upholstery brightening up the stateroom.

Best Hideouts:Outdoors: The top deck, beyond the tennis and basketball courts, or the aforementioned private cabanas. Indoors:The Silk Den, which has sea views and free sushi served in the early evening.

Favorite Things: Automatic ticket kiosks for shore excursions. Reasonable food portions, and the fact that you can choose either open seating in the Manhattan dining room or assigned tables and times. Free Microsoft computer classes and cooking lessons with an instructor from Food & Wine magazine.

Could've Done Without: The extra fee for the indoor pool. The difficulty of getting reservations at the specialty restaurants.

Sophisticated, Stylish, Relaxed

Oceania,Marina

Who's On Board: Veteran cruise-going couples who want to sightsee every day, dine decadently at night, and not have to pack a tie; a lot of Californians making the most of Oceania's offer of free airfare to Europe; and a number of former Celebrity, Holland America, and Princess suite passengers. No kids.

What Sets It Apart: Restaurants where even the amuse-bouches and bread baskets are whimsical works of art. There's Jacques Pépin's first ocean- going restaurant, for instance, where the escargots are topped with puff pastry shaped like a beret and the creamy pumpkin soup is ladled out of a giant green pumpkin. At Toscana you get your choice of artisanal Tuscan olive oils for bread dipping—with your own Versace dipping bowl—and at Red Ginger there's a choice of ivory, wood, or silver chopsticks. None of these culinary experiences cost extra (not even the Polo Grill steak house) except for the seven-course wine-pairing extravaganza you'll find at La Reserve, where the $75 charge is for the wine.

The Look: Not your grandmother's cruise ship. It's groundbreakingly stylish, with edgy modern art. The bars and lounges would be at home in an Ian Schrager hotel, the restaurants on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Eye-popping flourishes include a giant spiral staircase adorned with Lalique crystal medallions and a theatrically lit, industrial-chic Casino Bar with metallicized crocodile-leather furniture embedded with Swarovski crystals.

Staterooms: Comfy, with 1,000-thread-count bedding, 42-inch flat-panel TVs, and plenty of storage space. The expensive suites designed by Ralph Lauren and Dakota Jackson look more like swank apartments than cruise cabins.

Best Hideouts:Outdoors: Many passengers never even discover the "spa deck"—a serene alfresco space up top near the ship's bow—because it can be reached only through the Canyon Ranch SpaClub. In addition to panoramic but wind-protected views of whatever's in front of the ship, this deck area has shaded chaise longues and two thalassotherapy whirlpools, and you don't need to have a spa appointment to use it. Indoors: The library, designed in English country manor style, with stately but so-comfy-you-could-fall-asleep leather armchairs hidden in cozy alcoves among the books. You can disappear there with a classic novel (there's an impressive selection) and a latte from Baristas coffee bar, next door.

Favorite Things:The food, of course. Even the fare at the poolside grill was fit for a king: grilled lobster medallions and Black Angus filet mignon with parmesan-dusted truffle fries. We also loved the cushy pool furniture, like the cradling Balinese daybeds and the terry cloth–covered lounge chairs, each with a rolled-up towel (so you needn't search the pool area to find one). Even on a sold-out sailing, vacant pool chairs were available. The service: Staffers are conscientious and detail-oriented without being obsequious, intrusive, or overly chummy. And last but not least, the Technogym cardio machines in the gym, where the screens can be used as a TV, a radio, or a game device.

Could've Done Without:The piped-in pop music in certain outdoor dining and poolside venues (unnecessary in addition to being grating since most passengers were carrying their own iPods). The lousy show—a stale medley of songs from a certain era or along a certain theme, sung by a troupe of over-costumed singers/dancers—it will turn off anyone accustomed to sophisticated Broadway fare.

What works: This is the best suite at sea for families, perfect for passengers who want small-ship pampering with big-ship entertainment and kids’ clubs. There are a variety of categories within the Haven on each ship, but some villas feature a living room/dining area, kids’ bedroom for two, with its own television and bathroom. There’s a separate master bedroom/bath combo with a fabulous whirlpool tub that’s tucked next to full windows.

Perks: The exclusive Haven section of the ship comes with its own pool, sun deck, hot tub and fitness area. There’s 24-hour butler service and a dedicated only-for-Havenites restaurant for breakfast and lunch (Norwegian Epic is the only vessel with a private restaurant for dinner).

Caveat: Once you’ve left the luxurious Haven you’re on a mass-market cruise ship.

From $2,999 per person double occupancy.

Elegant, Exclusive, and Expensive

Seabourn,Sojourn

Who's On Board: No more than 450 passengers, mostly consisting of older, affluent, well-traveled couples and outgoing singles.

What Sets It Apart: Air deliveries of live Maine lobster, pounds of caviar, as well as wine, cocktails, and champagne—all complimentary. The kitchen and waitstaff include veterans of five-star hotel banquet service: These are pros used to the timely turnaround of complicated courses, ensuring consistently prepared food and impeccable service at every meal. The most indulgent amenity is the spa's open-air villa (rented for $650 for two and a half hours) with a private veranda, a dining table, two treatment tables, and a plush double bed and sun loungers. There's also a kayak and water sports marina in the stern.

The Look: Like a huge floating luxury sedan, with wood paneling, a smooth ride, giant windows, and a pleasingly powerful rumble. The Seabourn Square lobby lounge, with concierge services, a library, an Internet café, and an espresso bar, feels like a giant Starbucks; the bars are Malibu modern rather than Miami brash and enhance the sense of airiness. The Restaurant, with its black chairs and inner-lit alabaster pillars, is one of the few visually startling spaces, as is the small Restaurant 2, with its curved red-velvet couches and black-latticed windows.

Best Hideouts: The whirlpool and sundeck at the tip of deck 6, stocked with a small galley cart of cold drinks.

Favorite Things:The chef's galley tour (more champagne and caviar) and the soft and warm woolly blankets provided in each stateroom and on all open decks so that you can enjoy the sea air even when it's chilly. The celebrity guest speaker, Ted Koppel, former Nightline anchor, who blamed the world's ills and misguided U.S. foreign policy on the decline of American television journalism.

Could've Done Without:The unmemorable theater show and the "gentleman's arm" escort to the table that the waiters automatically offer to single women entering The Restaurant.